2021 Online Pacemaker finalists
Top collegiate online sites announced
ACP Pacemaker competition names 31 finalists
as ‘the best of the best’
Sept. 17, 2021
MINNEAPOLIS — The Associated Collegiate Press has recognized 31 online news and magazine sites as finalists in the Online Pacemaker competition.
Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners announced virtually at 6 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 14, during the Fall National College Media Convention.
“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” executive director Laura Widmer said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best.”
The 37 online finalists represent 17 states, the District of Columbia and a Canadian province. California set the pace with nine finalists, followed by Florida, Texas and North Carolina each with three.
Of the 31 finalists, 14 will earn Pacemaker honors.
Online sites from two-year and four-year schools competed in separate divisions. There are three two-year schools and 28 four-year schools honored as Pacemaker finalists.
Within the four-year school category, websites competed against those from colleges and universities with similar enrollments.
To select the finalists, respected professionals including professors and current digital media professionals analyzed, discussed and rated each entry.
“Today’s best online sites are platforms for rich multimedia storytelling,” said Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition. “Deep and diverse coverage with strong engagement and interactivity distinguish the best student-produced sites.”
In this competition, only the online product was judged. Print newspapers compete in a separate Pacemaker competition. The are 12 online sites also earning Pacemaker finalist recognition for their print newspapers.
Finalists are alphabetical by state.
2021 Pacemaker finalists
Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2020 Yearbook
2021 Individual Award finalists
Advertisement • Broadcast • Cartoon • Design
Multimedia • Photo • Reporter • Story
Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage
Register for the Fall National College Media Convention
presented virtually Oct. 14-16, 2021
Two-year colleges
el Don
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, California
Editors: Julian Reynoso,
Carrie Graham
Advisers: Charles Little,
Sarah Bennett
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California
Editors: Jack Hughes, Carolyn Burt, Allie Leeds, Deshawn Pouper, Romelin Barrios, Johnny Neville
Advisers: Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, Gerard Burkhart
The Et Cetera
Dallas College Eastfield Campus
Mesquite, Texas
Editors: Mattheau Faught, Chantilette Franklin, Jordan Lackey, Harriet Ramos
Advisers: Sarah Sheldon, Lori Dann, Elizabeth Langton
Four-year colleges
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
Editor: Jack West
Advisers: Brit Bowen, Billy Ferris
The Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Editor: Melissa Morris
Adviser: Abigail Goldman
The Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Editors: Makena Huey, Rowan Toke
Advisers: Elizabeth Smith, Courtenay Stallings
The State Hornet
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Editor: Max Connor
Adviser: Stu VanAirsdale
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Editors: Sabrina Pascua,
Stephanie Zappelli
Advisers: Pat Howe, Jon Schlitt, Brady Teufel
The GW Hatchet
George Washington University
Washington, D.C.
Editor: Sarah Roach
Adviser: Michael Zuckerman
Distraction Magazine
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
Editor: Gianna Milan
Adviser: Randy Stano
Spinnaker Media
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Editors: Darvin Nelson, Heydi Ortiz
Adviser: Maureen Baker
The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Editors: Mari Devereaux,
Brooklyn Kiosow
Advisers: Curtis Lawrence,
Travis Truitt
The Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
Editors: Sneha Dey,
Marissa Martinez
Adviser: Stacia Campbell
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Editors: Caroline Anders,
Jacob deCastro, Emily Isaacman, Tristan Jackson
Adviser: Jim Rodenbush,
Ruth Witmer
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
Editor: Zach Piatt
Adviser: Lisa Renze-Rhodes
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Editors: Sarah Watson,
Kelsey Harrell
Adviser: Jason Brummond
The University Daily Kansan
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Editors: Nicole Asbury, Liam Mays
Adviser: Rob Karwath
Talisman
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Editor: Max Zambrano
Adviser: Sam Oldenburg
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Editors: Parth Dhyani, John Grieve, Claire Hao, Naitian Zhou
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina-
Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Editor: Anna Pogarcic
Adviser: Erica Perel
Elon News Network
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
Editor: Mackenzie Wilkes
Adviser: Kelly Furnas
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Editors: Max Cohen, editor-in-chief; Isabella Simonetti, president
Adviser: Deborah Howlett
Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Editor: Christopher Malo
Adviser: Brian Creech
The Rice Thresher
Rice University
Houston, Texas
Editors: Ivanka Perez,
Rishab Ramapriyan
Adviser: Kelley Lash
The Breeze
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Editor: Katelyn Waltemyer
Advisers: Brad Jenkins,
Ryan Parkhurst, Roger Soenksen
The Collegian
University of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Editors: Olivia Diaz, Emma Davis, Jackie Llanos, Nina Joss
Adviser: Robert Hodierne
EMERGE Magazine
University of Guelph-Humber
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Editors: Alyssa Alibaksh,
Kedice Jones,
Melissa Lopez-Martinez
Adviser: Kimberley Noble
